Luke's Imaginarium

[Ronan]

To add to my last post... Due to several complaints from staff, my manager has now been transferred, and we have a lovely new one. This new guy is friendly, chatty, and listens to what you have to say. 10 x better than my old one. Things are looking up for now!

[Ronan]

ZOMG, these are so good! Never tried this flavour of McCoys: Mexican Chilli, but they seriously taste just like a good chilli con carne. I'm munching through a 2nd bag right now. Don't laugh. I've got to get through work somehow!

[Bolden Denusk]

I've nommed them and they're addictive. Seriously, deliciously addictive!

[Ronan]

Aren't they just amazing! Just had a good chicken korma with naan bread for dinner - delicious. Gosh I could go on about food all day LOL.

[Ronan]

So... I just had some great news, which has made me very happy - all I can say is, watch this space - I can't wait to get started!

[Ronan]

I am really happy right now! Christmas is approaching, life is generally good, all my Uni assignments for the year are done, and work is going well for once (with the help of a great new manager). If you didn't know already, I'm also an Assistant Storyteller - Paragon - and I have been having so much fun in my position. I get to read amazing stuff from all you fantastic writers, and I'm currently designing new locations for Denval. I feel so at home here, and also appreciated for what I do. Life is good, over and out!

[Paragon]

A couple of years back now I was fortunate enough to visit The Gamba in West Africa - but not as a tourist. Instead of staying in a five star all inclusive resort, our trip involved us living with a Gambian family in their humble lodge, helping to teach in the local school, and even helping out on the wards of the local hospital. We were essentially on charity work, but we became so involved in the family I found it painful to leave. This week I've been thinking about that trip so much, and I'm going to share some photos and thoughts. (Excuse the terrible formatting... I'm shattered.) (I'm the gumpish looking one stood up!) This was one of my favourite days where we went out on little wooden boats into the mangrove's, and we fished - but not like you'd expect. That was probably the first and only time I'll ever fish with a piece of string wrapped round a biro pen. And I nearly fell in - they didn't tell me there were crocodiles there until after. These are some of the Gambian children from the Gunjur Upper Basic School, sporting our sunglasses - they loved wearing them (and also holding our hands)! These children are simply amazing - all they have are the clothes they stand in and their tatty notebooks they take to school, yet they are the happiest children I have ever met. So many western children are bratty, selfish and spoilt. I think we can learn so much from the Gambian children. A monkey. Because everyone loves monkeys. This is the view from Arch 21 - an Arch in the centre of Banjul, the Gambian capital, that represents Gambian independence from Western power. Instead of turning this into a photo album, I'll stop there, though I have so much more to share. From the strange - as white British tourists, we were separated from the Gambians when we went to see the President's procession through Banjul, to the scary - entering a hyena pen and feeding them, to the beautiful - a day long walk round the whole coast of Gunjur. I had the most amazing experience, but I learnt so much. To quote a cliche, material possessions aren't everything, and they certainly don't make you happy. On a warm Gambian evening, sitting out round the camp fire, listening to the Gambian music, dancing with the Gambian family, I have never felt so happy in my life. But it wasn't just happiness. I've never felt so alive, and nor have I ever felt so human.

[Ronan]

It's kind of funny The assholes from school and childhood, the ones who torment and abuse for no reason, they get their just desserts in the end. I was reading the local paper, when I saw the name of a particularly nasty boy from years back. Charged with 12 burglaries and aggravated assault. Why am I not surprised?

[Gossamer]

. Response There used to be this girl in highschool I really didn't like. I didn't like her because she was always so mean and judgemental of others. I was especially a target because I never had name brand clothing, but I was clean comfortable and my stuff always fit well. I felt that way about her for three grades until I found her one day in a department store dressing room crying her eyes out while her mother screamed at her. She didn't want these clothes her mom was forcing her to wear. I always had thought she looked like a tramp at school and when I overheard that exchange I felt sorry for her. Really sorry for her in fact. She didn't understand why I started being so nice to her after that. She grew up, was a cheerleader, married a varsity bbstar and then was divorced shortly there after. Five marriages later I still don't think she knows what happy is. And truthfully I still feel sorry for her. .

[Paragon]

The branded clothing thing was a biggy... some kids can be really cruel, for absolutely no reason. I used to get picked on for actually working at school? You're right though. There's another side to every story, and sometimes we can't see that.